Biden’s EV metals import plan unlikely to match climate goals -executives

The Biden administration’s plan to rely on ally nations for most of the metals needed to build electric vehicles ignores the complexity of modern mining and could keep the United States from meeting aggressive climate goals, according to industry executives.
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 leads $775 million investment in Perch

SoftBank Group Corp’s (9984.T) Vision Fund 2 has led a $775 million investment in Perch, a technology firm that buys and operates third-party brands that sell their products on Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O).
Michael Kors parent expects sales growth as luxury demand rebounds

Capri Holdings Ltd (CPRI.N) on Wednesday forecast annual revenue and profit above Wall Street expectations, betting on shoppers returning to stores in the United States following speedy vaccinations and pent-up demand for luxury goods in Europe.
Ford boosts EV spending, aims to have 40% of volume all-electric by 2030

Ford Motor Co (F.N) on Wednesday outlined plans to boost spending on its electrification efforts by more than a third and said it aims to have 40% of its global volume be all electric by 2030 in a move to have investors value it more like a technology company.
China’s crypto crackdown speeds shift to central Asia, North America mining

A crackdown by Beijing is rapidly accelerating a shift in focus by makers of machines that ‘mine’ cryptocurrencies like bitcoin from China to North America and Central Asia as Chinese clients face an uncertain future.
Canada’s top pension funds boost investments in high-carbon oil sands

Canada’s biggest pension managers boosted their investments in the country’s major oil sands companies in the first quarter of 2021, raising questions about the funds’ recent commitments to greening their portfolios.
U.S. business borrowings jump 19% in April – ELFA survey

U.S. companies borrowed $9.8 billion for capital investments in April, up 19% from a year earlier, benefiting from an economic recovery triggered by mass COVID-19 vaccinations and easing restrictions, the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) said.
European stocks stuck at peak as recovery uplift fades

European stocks look set to hold around or inch just above current record levels as the initial boost stemming from the region’s V-shaped recovery after the COVID-19 downturn loses momentum, a Reuters poll found.
EXCLUSIVE China bars banks from selling commodities-linked products to retail buyers -sources

China’s banking regulator has asked lenders to stop selling investment products linked to commodities futures to mom-and-pop buyers, three people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, to curb investment losses amid volatile commodity prices.
M&S’s annual profit slumps 88% as COVID crushes clothing sales

British retailer Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) on Wednesday reported an 88% slump in full-year profit, reflecting a collapse in clothing sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and warned investors not to expect a dividend in the current year.